


The Death's Assistant: The Case of Lee Donghyuck

by hanaiku



Series: The Death's Assistant The Series [2]
Category: NCT (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - High School, Grim Reapers, M/M, Not Beta Read, Please read with caution, We Die Like Men, not depression but there is significant amount of stress, that's not a tag im sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:35:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23574745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanaiku/pseuds/hanaiku
Summary: Donghyuck's soul was split from his body. If he didn't want to be an insane ghost he had to bring his soul back to his body. All Donghyuck needed to do was wanting to live. But Lee Donghyuck wanted to stay dead.orDonghyuck was just so tired for being unwanted.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Series: The Death's Assistant The Series [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693063
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	The Death's Assistant: The Case of Lee Donghyuck

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of The Death's Assistant The Series but you don't have to read them to understand the story. Note that the age gap between Verkwan and Markhyuck in this story is quite big, around five years. 
> 
> Shout out to lunacchi for helping me out with the story!

"Why do we have to deal with this again?" Seungkwan asked Vernon as they walked in the hospital where a confused soul was waiting.

"Because there is a new Wandering Soul and you're the only one who is experienced about this."

Seungkwan scoffed. He knew that, of course he did. Working as the assistant of a grim reaper made him very informed about his job. But he also knew that the files stacked on his table said that this boy wasn't even supposed to be dead anytime soon. This boy had a very long age, Seungkwan wasn't supposed to meet him now.

He was supposed to have a good rest and not sleep deprived. 

"Why is he dead, though?" Seungkwan asked in annoyance. "Why we gotta wake up at two in the morning for a kid who should be… I don't know… fine?"

"He's not dead, Seungkwan. Just a Wandering Soul," Vernon patiently replied him. "I think we can make him back alive soon. It's been around two days since he passed out though, might be a challenge."

"So, I can live back inside my body, huh?" A boy suddenly appeared behind Seungkwan. Scaring the shit out of him.

Nobody could really blame Seungkwan for being mad for a second. Especially when said boy was the source of his sleep deprived state. He was so ready to pounce and give the boy the taste of second death before the rational part of him decided to hold himself back.

"What the fuck?" 

"What? Am I giving grim reapers heart attack?" The kid whose name was written as Lee Donghyuck on the file just laughed in happiness. "What about Wandering Soul though? What's that?"

Seungkwan and Vernon didn't even try to correct him that Seungkwan was not in any way a grim reaper even though he was currently working with one. Vernon also didn't seem to be interested in explaining the kid about Wandering Soul from the way his eyes practically begged Seungkwan to explain because god knows Vernon was shit at doing these formal introductions whatsoever.

Seungkwan glared back at him just like usual. He also yield to the desperate look and give in exactly like usual. He hated how weak he was for Vernon.

"Kid—" Seungkwan started before he was cut off rudely.

"Donghyuck is my name but people call me Haechan too. Please don't call me kid," Donghyuck finished without feeling any remorse.

Seungkwan wanted to strangle the kid so much. He kept calling him kid on his head just to make his imaginative version of Donghyuck pissed off. Of course, he maintained a professional look upfront.

"Donghyuck," Seungkwan said with added stress on the name, "you are a Wandering Soul—before you cut me off saying, 'yes, I know, just get to the point.' Please just shut up, okay? That's good—So, Wandering Soul is what you call a ghost. For your information, normal soul is supposed to be inside a body. But if one's body is dead, it should immediately be sent to afterlife. Sometimes normal soul lingers for hours to get closure after they're dead. It can never be more than a day. While Wandering Soul are soul who is unable to get closure even after 24 hours or—in your case—when a body who is not dead yet was split from its soul."

"You are saying I am a special case," Donghyuck sounded too proud of his miserable state.

Seungkwan would be a little bit worried for him if not for the fact that the kid sounded very annoying.

"I am saying that you are bothersome," Seungkwan said as a response. He felt a death glare from Vernon as if he was saying something rude. Okay, perhaps he was being rude but please blame it on the system for fucking things up when he was supposed to get his beauty sleep. "Why do you have to be out of your body anyway? You can just stay and be a normal soul!?"

Seungkwan probably shouldn't have said that. Vernon was very unimpressed at him and by now was already digging a hole in his head by his staring. He probably thought Seungkwan was being mental and regretted ever making him explain.

"I think that's enough explanation." Vernon stopped Seungkwan from talking anymore, just in case he'd create mess. Instead of the gratefulness he fully expect from the boy, he was kind of surprised to see the displeased look Donghyuck was sending him.

"But he was telling me interesting things though. What a boring satan," Donghyuck muttered.

That gained a raised eyebrow from Seungkwan. Satans were unacceptable, as far as Seungkwan knew, Vernon totally hated them. "We are not satan! That's a completely different thing!" Surely, Vernon felt very attacked for being compared with satan.

"Do I look like I care?" Donghyuck said back.

"No," Seungkwan answered in place of Vernon. He braced himself as he blurted out the most cheesy thing he'd say in his entire existence. "But shut up. This guy is nice, you can only be rude at me."

Vernon wanted to fucking melt right there and then.

***

They ended up chilling on Donghyuck's VIP room while watching his body which was basically had no soul inside but was still living. Knowing that fact itself was hard enough, of course facing them felt way more harder. Considering the younger's feeling, Seungkwan tried to reject the offer to talk there but Donghyuck was quite persistent.

Seungkwan wouldn't know if Donghyuck was just faking aloofness. Boy looked pretty good at keeping his emotion inside the whole time.

"Are you saying that I have to come back inside my body if I don't want to be an insane ghost?" Donghyuck repeated the grim reapers' explanation as he pointed at his resting body casually. Seungkwan cringed at the gesture.

"Yeah," Seungkwan still answered.

"What's wrong with being an insane ghost, huh?"

"You'll hurt people and yourself," Vernon replied calmly as he was coming back to his chill self.

"What about dying? Why can't I just die?"

"You still have years to live…" Vernon started uncertain. He looked at Seungkwan as a sign of asking help. Seungkwan repeated the good natured glare from before and yield again.

"Our file said you'll live until you're old. I'm sorry but we can't change that one." Seungkwan walked towards the sleeping body. Suddenly feeling very interested despite thinking he was seeing a corpse.

"Is that God's order?" Donghyuck asked with curiosity.

"Maybe," Seungkwan muttered casually.

"What kind of answer is that?" Donghyuck grumbled under his breath. Clearly unsatisfied and feeling very left out. 

Seungkwan smiled without looking at the boy. Sadly, his job had so many secrets. He was probably just as clueless as the other human if he was told to explain.

"Don't you want to live?" Seungkwan changed the subject as he touched Donghyuck's body.

Strangely, Soul Donghyuck could feel the touch as well. He shuddered.

There was a long silence before anyone said anything. Donghyuck was considering the question pretty seriously. He thought about it all the time, since the moment he knew that he was no longer human until right this second. He never got a clear answer.

"That's kind of hard to answer," Donghyuck carefully answered.

"I understand," Seungkwan squeezed Body Donghyuck's cheek softly. He grinned, not looking at Donghyuck who winced as a response. "That's the main reason why we are here to help you."

"Stop touching me. It's uncomfortable," Donghyuck complained.

"Oh, that's news," Seungkwan grinned even wider. "You can feel it?"

"Yes, that's not supposed to happen?"

Seungkwan shrugged. He looked at Vernon who was much more experienced between the two of them despite not looking as it.

"Depends," Vernon finally replied. "The bigger your willingness to live, the more you can feel. Since the link between your body and soul gets stronger."

"I take it that my willingness to live is pretty significant," Donghyuck said as he stood up and walked towards Seungkwan, "since both of you keep talking about that."

"That's right," Seungkwan pinched Body Donghyuck's arm just to know how his soul would react. Needless to say, the soul was pretty pissed off. "Wait, don’t hit me. I was just curious."

"Instead of doing that, why don't you just tell me what are you here for? Surely it's not to make me feel cross."

Vernon who still sat on the sofa across the room sighed at the two. "We're here to guide you back. The thing is that we can't do it on our own. You have to be the active one, here. Because the only way your soul and body can unite is if you actually want to stay alive."

***

Donghyuck wanted to ask the God if they even existed, why did they let him live after giving him the taste of death. The world was too chaotic for him, so many things happening and hurting him, he preferred this quietness over it. After all, life didn't seem to yearn for him when he was gone.

To Lee Donghyuck, high school was decent at best. He had friends, family, and crush just like any other kids. Sure, he had privilege for being born into a well-off family. Had a loving father and dedicated mother who seem to like their jobs more than him. Also, there was his crush-turned-best-friend who thought of him as just another irritating companion. And last, he had close friends since he was in diapers who never accepted his affectionate gestures.

They probably would cry when they saw him buried at such a young age. They would feel remorse for anything bad happening to him even though it wasn't their fault. After some time, they would move on, people did that, always. They would feel emotional for a while but they would leave.

Not that Donghyuck would hate them for doing so. It was for their own good, they couldn't stay in the dark for so long if they had to survive. After all, Donghyuck still loved them even though he felt unwanted by them.

"Hyuck?" A voice was heard behind the door.

It was Mark, his crush. Quite a surprise. 

"Of course, you can’t answer me, huh?" Mark sounded too mellow that it actually made Donghyuck cringed.

"Fuck off, Mark. What do you want?" He asked even though he knew Mark wouldn't hear him.

Mark sat near his sleeping body. Donghyuck noticed he brought a bubblegum flavored ice cream with him as he placed it on the table carefully. Donghyuck recognized the ice cream. It was his favorite one from that parlor near the school. He must had bought it as soon as the school was over since it was usually closed pretty fast.

"Thank you, I guess," Donghyuck smiled at the sweet gesture.

He suddenly remembered how Mark liked to do these things whenever Donghyuck was upset. He also remembered the parlor was where he and Mark talked to each other for the first time. He remembered the time when Mark tried to woo him. The ice cream parlor was his go-to place. As if he had no other idea of better places to date.

But he also remembered how they ended their not-dating relationship and decided to befriend each other.

Donghyuck ended it. Donghyuck was the one who refused Mark. "Because we are not a good match. You are the popular kid, Mark. You'll hate me for not being able to keep up with your lifestyle and prefer to spend my time with my close friends instead of going to your football practice every week because I don't match with your crowd."

Donghyuck cried in the middle of the night after he heard Mark accepted his refusal indifferently. He cried when he realized Mark was moving on just fine with another guy from his football team. He still did the same whenever Mark introduced him to a new boyfriend or girlfriend of his.

"You are such a dramatic ass," Seungkwan appeared behind him out of thin air.

"Shut the fuck up," Donghyuck cursed—he was already beyond politeness the moment he turned into a ghost.

"This guy is your crush, right?" Seungkwan was totally judging him. "Mark is it? You seem to like him a lot but you were the one who pushed him away."

"Why are you here?" Donghyuck walked away from the older guy. Not really liking the teases. "I thought you have a job to do."

"Vernon can do shits on his own too sometimes."

"Why can't you be like your boyfriend? An intellectual."

Seungkwan scoffed. "I don't think you have any right to judge me, considering all the shits you've caused."

It was true to an extent but Donghyuck didn't want to look vulnerable. Not with Mark in the room. So, his instinct was to walk out and watch the cartoon in the waiting area. He let Seungkwan followed him even though the guy pissed him off too much sometimes.

"So, want to tell me what was that?" Seungkwan placed his arm around Donghyuck's shoulder as they sat side by side watching SpongeBob on television.

"What should I tell you? He is just a friend."

Donghyuck's heart ached when he muttered out loud the word friend. It sucked having to say it with your own mouth.

"I'd believe you if you didn't look like a kicked puppy, and he didn't look like he lost his whole world, and he didn't bring a fucking bubblegum ice cream, because that flavor is disgusting, who in the world like them—"

"Shut up, why are you so noisy?" Donghyuck furrowed his eyebrows angrily. Although, deep inside he was wondering if he looked like a kicked puppy.

"Look, I read your whole history from a file and I kinda know why you seem to not enjoy living, okay? You can tell me anything and I wouldn't even move a hair."

"If you know everything, why do I have to tell you?" Donghyuck puffed his chest in a childish manner. He started not caring if he looked ridiculous, no one was going to look.

"Maybe because you want to get it off your chest but you have no one to turn to?" Seungkwan held the younger even closer, making him feeling exposed. "Now, you have me. Trust me, I am not going to betray you."

"You make it seems like my people betrayed me. Well, they'd never betray me!" Donghyuck pouted at the grim reaper. His body was shaking from emotions he was feeling. Emotions that he didn't know were there.

"I know. They won't," Seungkwan assured him. Strangely to Donghyuck, it sounded like an invitation to let everything loose. He didn't even know what he was going to let loose.

"They just didn't know it themselves. Because I never ask, you know?" Donghyuck started sobbing. "I know they love me. I know that. Mark liked to bring me stuff sometimes. Renjun, Jaemin, and Jeno brought me to new places. My parents bought me stuffs, texted me regularly, praised me with love, they tried to always be there for me. They are all good people," Donghyuck buried himself on Seungkwan's shoulder.

"I know they are," Seungkwan patted his back softly.

"Right?" Donghyuck looked up at him. His view was blurred with tears but he continued. "It was me after all. I kept telling them I was fine when I don't feel so. I was so worried that they'd be more burdened by me."

"It wasn't your fault, Hyuck."

"But, how could I, Hyung? How could I tell them I don’t feel loved enough if they only come after I begged them to? How could I ask for more when I know they have their problems too? I don't want to be a burden, but I am so greedy. I still want them to shower me with love nonstop. I want them to love me as much as I love them when I know they can't." 

"You are not greedy, Hyuck," Seungkwan stroked Donghyuck's hair as he let the ghost fell asleep on his arm. "You deserve to be loved as much."

***

When Donghyuck woke up, his head was already on Vernon's lap. Seungkwan was nowhere to be found.

"Where is Seungkwan hyung?"

Vernon raised his eyebrows at the boy. "Hyung? On a good term already?"

"Where is he?" Donghyuck didn't bother to answer.

"He has another work to do. We are busy grim reapers, you know?" Vernon grinned awkwardly.

Donghyuck narrowed his eyes at the grim reaper. His position below the man made his attempt to judge lacked intimidation though.

"I don’t know what he likes from you. You look dumb." Donghyuck really should have considered his position on Vernon's lap when he decided to mock him. Clearly, this grim reaper was the type to stand up unexpectedly when someone was sleeping on his thigh.

"First of all, he doesn't like me—"

"I see you are in denial too," Donghyuck nodded to mock the older one. He tried to balance himself as he stood up after falling from Vernon's lap. Donghyuck ignored the shocked grim reaper who was still talking incoherently. He walked towards his room to check on himself.

He was frozen for several minutes at the door as he found the sight inside to be very shocking. Mark was placing his head on the bed. The older boy looked serene as he moved Donghyuck's hand to touch his own cheek. Stroking it softly. Donghyuck's hand was stiff, but Mark didn't seem to be bothered.

Donghyuck realized that his soul could feel it too. The touch of skin on his hand. It was different than Seungkwan's touch. He felt alive now.

"He's been doing that for an hour," Vernon added an annoyingly insignificant detail. It made Donghyuck's heart fluttered uncomfortably. He didn't like the feeling of liking Mark. It always hurt.

"Clearly, you like each other," Vernon said as he pushed Donghyuck a little to be near Mark. "I get it that you are scared that he'll not love you back just as much. You are scared to be dumped by the love of your life—"

"Stop it," Donghyuck was surprised when he felt tears welled up in his eyes. "Don't you see how different we are? I am that bookworm rich kid who should live a quiet life and he is so much better. He is a star. He can't see me for he is too bright."

"What are you talking about?!"

"I've seen how he forgets people easily, how he changed his lover without batting an eye, how he treated me as nothing more than those people. _Clearly_ , he doesn't like me that much."

Vernon looked really angry and upset hearing them, but above all he looked really sad. Donghyuck didn't like to see him like that. Simply because Vernon rarely showed emotion. If he was this angry, then Donghyuck might be really wrong—all Donghyuck's view would all crumble down. That couldn't be it.

"You know, you think very lowly of yourself a lot," Vernon sighed harshly. "That lack of love problem from your family and friends, which also include Mark in it, was started because you _think_ you don't get the privilege to ask when you already get so much. And this, you think you are too low for a star?"

"Well, let me tell you, Lee Donghyuck," Vernon inhaled. "Your parents were sobbing till they fainted when they heard you were hospitalized. They cancelled their works overseas because you are more important than them. They could be losing so much but losing you would be worse. Do you know how much they were saddened by the fact that they didn't prepare you breakfast that morning? Because it might be your last breakfast for all they know."

"You see, Renjun, Jaemin, and Jeno were sleeping on the hospital when they had to wait for your operation. You do know how important that art competition for Renjun but he preferred to stay with you because what would success mean when he couldn't share it with his best friend. Don’t even ask about Jaemin and Jeno, they got sick because they were waiting on the floor for you to wake up."

"Now, let me tell you about this Mark guy. He has been here for two days. Since the day you got hit by a car, he was never absent even for a day. He always came exactly at noon and he ran immediately after his class was over. He ran to get you your bubblegum even though he knew he would have to bring it back melted and uneaten. He skipped those football practices for you. He turned down party invitations because he'd rather stay with you, here—"

"Fuck!" Donghyuck screamed out loud. There were too much information flowing from Vernon. Donghyuck was so used to think from his perspective. He couldn't take the grim reaper's words. "Fuck… I don't even remember why I was here. What had happened to me?"

*Flashback*

Mark was really excited. It was going to be a big game this time and he was sure he would win. He would win and made the school proud. Of course, he wanted his friends to watch him win and take that trophy home. That's why he was in front of Donghyuck's classroom right now, waiting for him to come out.

"I know what you are going to ask me about," Donghyuck said as soon as they were outside. "I am going to say no just like usual, Mark."

"Seriously, this one is gonna be great, though?" Mark pouted. He could only hope this time it would make Donghyuck melt. Sadly, Donghyuck never melted for him.

"No means no," Donghyuck refused him just as stubbornly. "You know I don’t like that place."

"But, it's fun!"

Mark knew his choosing of words was very uncreative and nobody was going to be convinced by it. Good thing that Renjun came as his savior, he wrapped his arm loosely on Donghyuck's shoulder. "What's this?"

"I was asking him to come to my game this Saturday. But you know how Donghyuck is," Mark acted as if he was suffering.

"What? You refused?" Renjun looked at his childhood friend. "Are you some kind of crazy?"

"What's so great about a football game, though?" Donghyuck whined. He really just wanted to be left alone.

Mark shared eye contact with Renjun for a moment before blurting out stupidly. "I'll do anything you want if you come?"

Donghyuck looked taken aback. He did have some things he'd rather do but never dared to say because of their busy schedule. But he had to endure a football match filled by annoyingly popular girls and boys first? Ugh, no.

"Still no," Donghyuck shook his head.

"What about for one art exhibition ticket if you come?" Renjun raised his hand, his habit whenever he had an idea. "You know I'm doing this art competition, right? If I win, I'll get two tickets and you'll have one of them?"

That art exhibition was really hard to get into. Renjun really knew his weakness.

"Fine," Donghyuck sighed. "Seriously why do you guys want me to go there so bad?"

"Because we don't want you to live in solitude like a hermit, Hyuck." Renjun laughed at his own joke.

Donghyuck actually laughed as well, but he kind of regretted it when he found himself sitting alone halfway into the game. Fuck Renjun for suddenly having to meet a teacher on a weekend. Jaemin and Jeno too for being stuck with their family all of a sudden.

There was no familiar face in the crowd but Donghyuck would be damned to sit alone, looking vulnerable by himself.

"Hey, you're Mark's friend, right?" A girl asked Donghyuck out of nowhere, "Lee Donghyuck, am I right?"

"Yeah," Donghyuck nodded politely.

"I am Minji. Nice to meet you," She smiled brightly. Donghyuck thought he knew her somewhere but he kind of forget. Perhaps just another one of Mark's famous friends that he didn't like.

It was exactly ten minutes after the introduction when Minji gloriously shouted for the whole field to hear, "Mark! Lee Donghyuck, the love of your life, is here! You fucking do better if you wanna win!"

The whole place was fucking whooping. Totally ignoring Donghyuck's unamused glare at them. Mark fucking Lee, though, decided to grin really wide at Donghyuck like an embarrassment he was. He wasn't sure if Mark's goal after the whole scene was because of him but he felt excited to see him scored anyway.

"Can you believe your boy just did that?" Minji said to him after the crowd died down. Donghyuck found her a little bit more tolerable as the time passed. But that word was too much.

"We are not dating," He explained.

"Ugh, sure," She still smiled the same way that Donghyuck didn't think she actually got what he meant.

Donghyuck let her be, though, the game was too good to be ignored.

***

Mark's team won just like how he predicted. Donghyuck was honestly really proud of him and he'd rather show it than kept it to himself. That was why he hugged Mark really tightly, letting no air passed his lungs.

"We are going, lover boy!" Mark's teammates shouted as they walked pass Donghyuck.

"What's with your friend saying these weird things," Donghyuck frowned. He let go of his hug. But Mark pulled him closer and rested his head on Donghyuck's shoulder.

"Don't listen to those weird guys," He said softly.

Donghyuck chuckled.

Mark finally let Donghyuck go as he smiled at the younger. "Since I've taken a bath, now we can do whatever you want like I promised."

"Aren't you tired though? We can go whenever."

"Not at all!" Mark sounded really excited. "I have something to tell you too. I'd rather do it today."

"What is it?" Donghyuck poked his ribs jokingly. He grinned.

Mark grinned back. "We gotta go first. Where do you want us to go?"

"Ugh, I don't really know actually. This place is kinda far I don't think a day would be enough," Donghyuck acted as if he was thinking really hard.

"Come on, I know the face you make when you are lying."

Mark tickled Donghyuck to tease him. It brought Donghyuck to tears from laughing too much. "It's the ice cream parlor!" He said finally.

"What?" Mark asked dumbfoundedly.

Donghyuck looked at him with twinkling eyes.

"And a cat café."

"Now, that sounded fun!" Mark yelled too loud that Donghyuck had to hit him to shut up.

They finally walked out of the field, towards the ice cream parlor they loved so much. Perhaps only Donghyuck loved the place but it still counted. They talked and talked as they walked. Not really caring about their surroundings. It was as if they were in their own world. Donghyuck liked it, it'd been a long time since they spent time together.

"How do you know a cat café around here anyway? Isn't it hard to find it in this city?"

"Well, Dongyoung hyung is the owner. He invited me ages ago but I have no time to come."

"Wasn't he your driver?"

"Yeah," Donghyuck stopped to look at the red light. It was still red so they had to wait even though the road was clear. "He said he'll give me discount if I can make you promote the café on your instagram."

The light turned green and they started walking just like any other pedestrians. 

"Will I get a discount too?" Mark asked.

"No, it's only for me."

"That's unfair!" Mark swung his hand in annoyance. Being the clumsy person he was, he dropped his wallet and had to walk back a little bit to reach it.

"Come on, Mark," Donghyuck said just as annoyed at Mark's childish antics.

He looked at the light to check if it was still green. He was glad when he saw it was indeed green. He then walked towards Mark. That was when he saw at the corner of his eyes, there was a speeding car at the junction. Really fast.

 _It could hit Mark._

That was what he thought at the moment. Mark was dumb enough that he didn't realize the car coming. Donghyuck had no choice. He had to push Mark away. He was really glad when Mark was no longer standing dangerously on the road, even though he had to face the speeding car on his own.

He found himself smiling.

_Ah, thank, God, it didn't hit Mark._

*Flashback End*

"Fuck, I did that?" Donghyuck wanted to laugh. He was some kind of hero apparently.

"Where were you after the incident?" Vernon asked him with some gentleness on his tone. Totally changed from the way he just snapped at Donghyuck for acting miserable.

"I don't know," Donghyuck answered. "When I started gaining my awareness, I was already at my home. It was midnight, I think. Probably hours after my surgery."

"That's interesting," The grim reaper paused to think. "You soul woke up at a completely different place from the start."

"Yeah," Donghyuck agreed.

"What did you do after you woke up?"

"I was strolling," Donghyuck was unsure as he tried to remember that night. "I think I was at the City's Park. I am not sure what I was doing but I stayed there for a long time. That place is near my school, you know. Anyway, I went to this hospital after I overheard that I was hospitalized and I saw you guys at the front door. I just thought, 'Oh there it is, my grim reapers who will take me away."

"But we are not here to take you away," Vernon patted Donghyuck's back as a reassuring gesture.

"Sadly," Donghyuck's shoulder slumped down.

"Are you sure you are sad about it?" Vernon asked. "Anyone can see how much Mark likes you and you obviously like him back."

"Hyung, I know I sounded stupid and all," Donghyuck rested his head on Vernon's shoulder. "But, fuck, it was so damn scary to think that he'd forget me like he how forgot all his previous lovers. I am very uninteresting, you know—Listen to me before you cut me off this time—I mean, just give him a week to know me and date me. I'm pretty sure he'd be very uninterested and leave. He's like this just because he hasn't dated me."

"That's weird if you think that way," Vernon softly spoke. Despite his choice of words seemed to be mocking Donghyuck. "I am pretty sure you know each other more than anyone else by now. You guys are friends after all."

"Ugh, no."

"I mean if you think about it. Both of you acted like you're dating."

"You don't understand, do you?" Donghyuck sighed. "He doesn't like it when I hold his hand. He prefers to watch movies with his team than spending the weekend with me. That speaks a lot, hyung."

"No, you don't understand, do you?" Vernon asked back. "Have you ever tried to give him a chance?"

"I don't know?" Donghyuck narrowed his eyes.

"All this time you let him close to you but you never open your heart for him. How do you think he'd feel?"

"That sucks," Donghyuck winced.

"Right," Vernon laughed at the reaction. "Of course, it's gonna be scary to open your heart. But he opened his for you for a really long time. You refused to look though. I think that's because you're used to feeling miserable. You're too in denial that any other option is possible too."

Donghyuck waited for a moment before he tried to take the information in. He'd heard some shits from Renjun for being such a coward whenever Mark was involved. But he never took it seriously since he always clung to his own opinion. Now though, having himself placed in between living and death made him questioning his stance. Maybe all of this was happening for a reason, maybe he was wrong.

"Hyung, I'm stupid, yeah?"

"Yeah!" Vernon exclaimed. "Now that you realized that. Why don't you try to understand him better?"

"How so?"

"You're a ghost. You can just follow people around like a creep," Vernon pointed out the obvious. Looking very pleased of himself.

"Seriously?" Donghyuck hated himself for actually considering doing it on his brain.

"Yeah. Besides, your problem is not only about Mark, is it? You maybe want to visit your friends and family."

Vernon was grinning from ear to ear. Donghyuck always thought that this grim reaper was a dumb one. He couldn't believe he was going to take his suggestion seriously. But, then again, he wouldn't have anything to lose by doing so. It wouldn't hurt to try.

"You're right," Donghyuck squared his shoulder. He got to do something at least.

***

"Hyuck?" Mark stared sadly at the face that was sleeping soundly on the bed. Unbeknownst to him, Soul Donghyuck was also on the bed beside him. Although, his eyes were avoiding the sight since it was too much to handle. "I am so sorry. Everything is my fault."

Donghyuck snapped his head to look at Mark. "No, I'm a hero. You should be thankful, not sorry!"

"I shouldn't have forced you to go with me. I should've listened to you to wait for another day." 

Donghyuck hummed in agreement. "That's right, you should've listened to me."

"But I was just so impatient to ask you out again—"

"Wait, what?" Donghyuck had his eyes opened really widely. He was glad Vernon wasn't following him inside. He didn't need to hear that.

"—because of the adrenaline. That football game just made me want to show you off in front of my friends. My head was in fucking cloud nine, I didn't realize that car was coming. Fuck—"

Mark was rambling. He was saying so many things he wouldn't say in front of Donghyuck if he knew the boy would listen. As much as it was endearing to hear them directly, it still felt overwhelming. Mark Lee really had this power to render Donghyuck speechless.

"Mark," A familiar voice was heard behind the door. It opened to reveal Donghyuck's childhood friends.

"You can rest, Mark. We'll be here to company him," Renjun walked towards Mark. He patted the boy's head softly.

Donghyuck could see that Renjun's eyes were hollow. It wasn't like him at all. It wasn't as lively as it supposed to be. Looking at Jaemin and Jeno was not much better. Jaemin looked like a walking corpse, he looked so out of it. While Jeno kept having this blank expression on his face. The was no trace of that sweet eye smile that Donghyuck adored.

They must be having a hard time because Donghyuck was gone.

"But it will pass…" Donghyuck mumbled.

"Please, don't think that it will pass easily," Donghyuck heard Seungkwan exasperated sigh behind him. "Vernon knocked some senses into your brain but you still have doubt? Seriously, can't you see you are torturing yourself?"

"But it's true. It will pass."

"It doesn't make it hurt less," Seungkwan sat beside him on the bed. "Look at them. They'll move on because the world will force them to. But, do you think it means they don't love you?"

"That's not true." At least that was fact that Donghyuck could say for sure.

"So, why don't you try to follow Mark and see how he's doing? Maybe he will show you what you need to see," Seungkwan pointed at Mark who was standing up from his chair. The boy packed his bag. He sent a small weak smile to Donghyuck's friends as he left.

"Sure."

Following Mark was supposed to be easy. Donghyuck knew what his habits were. The places he'd stop by just to enjoy the sight and the places he'd avoid to pass were memorized in his head. But, today Mark was not being Mark.

Donghyuck expected him to take a left turn when he was near the orange house which had a very scary looking dog, but he walked pass it just fine. Mark didn't even spare any glance at his favorite shop. He didn't droll on the view of a brand-new guitar displayed in front of him.

Even, when he reached home, he forgot to take off his shoes that his mother had to remind him of it. Mark was so different. It made Donghyuck felt rather powerful to have this impact. Yet it also brought up a painful feeling on his chest.

"Mom, don't bother with dinner. I'll eat at the hospital later," Mark shouted at the kitchen before he entered his room.

The faint reply from his mother was still heard even when the door was closed, "I know you. You'll eat nothing if I let you do that. You better eat this food before you go again. Donghyuck doesn't like sick people!"

"Huh, whatever," Mark mumbled to himself as he threw his body on his bed. Donghyuck looked at the room, deciding where to sit before choosing to sit at the chair.

"Hyuck wouldn't even like me whatever I do."

It was Mark. Mark said those words as if he was cut by a sword. Donghyuck winced from the flush of emotions on his body. It felt very unreal to hear Mark saying these things.

"Fuck," Mark cursed out loud. It was so loud that it surprised Donghyuck. Then, he buried his face on his pillow angrily. His feet madly kicking the air and stopped all of a sudden.

Several minutes of silence made Donghyuck wondered what was happening with Mark. He didn't seem to be asleep. Donghyuck sat down beside Mark to look and had red eyes welcomed him. Mark was in tears, he was sobbing as quiet as he could.

"Bastard, I thought you were dead," Donghyuck chuckled sadly. Mark was still trying to keep himself quiet, but his softly shaking shoulder gave away everything. He was similar to a crying child. 

"I am so fucking sorry, God. I'm sorry that I said 'If I can't have Donghyuck then nobody can.' I was delusional and stupid. I didn't mean that you should take him away like this, please," Mark was suddenly crying loudly. Donghyuck could only pray his mom wouldn't hear it. As much as he liked it, It was still embarrassing.

Donghyuck was a little bit glad when Mark became quieter. Mark was hesitant as he poured out what his heart felt, "I mean it, God. Please, don't take him away from me. I don't think I can live without him."

That was totally unexpected. Donghyuck was caught off guard. He immediately did the most reasonable thing to do. He bolted out of the room.

***

"Nonsense!" Donghyuck said to Seungkwan who apparently followed him to Mark's house.

"He was being truthful and you're saying that it was nonsense. Ugh, I pity young love," Seungkwan side eyed him. He looked disgusted and really sorry at the time.

"Because he totally can live without me and he was talking some nonsense dumb shits. I just can't take it anymore," Donghyuck clenched his palm so hard it would bleed if he wasn't a ghost.

"Sure, he can."

"Shut up! I am not asking for your opinion." Seungkwan took a step back as he saw how aggressive Donghyuck had become. Love was a big weakness for Lee Donghyuck after all.

"Well, have you tried looking at his diary?" Seungkwan suggested as if it was the most normal thing to do in this world. Because privacy be damned apparently.

"That'd be rude!" Donghyuck cried out.

"I am just saying he will be opening his nonsense dumb shits diary in fifteen minutes. You don't have to go there and look, but I am just saying anyway. Don't mind me."

Donghyuck could see a he was baiting. Actually, anyone could see he was baiting.

"Don't play with me," Donghyuck was torn. He wasn't that kind of person who look into someone diary because that'd be too personal. But he wanted to look so bad.

"Don't worry, you won't remember it," Seungkwan was trying to calm the younger. He grabbed both of his shoulder and looked at him in the eye.

"What do you mean by that?"

"All of this shits that's happening to you will be erased from your memory," Seungkwan raised his eyebrows to make a point. "You'll forget that you crossed the line as soon as you wake up. In that way, both of you will start from zero. It's all fair."

"What's the purpose of this if I am going to forget?"

"Everything has to be done to make you back alive." Seungkwan smiled too bitterly.

Then, Donghyuck realized why Seungkwan was being alert. The reason Seungkwan followed him here. The hesitant smile and sorry look. It wasn't to guide him anymore.

"Hyung, is this a fucking goodbye? Am I going to wake up soon?"

"I don’t know, that depends on you."

Donghyuck knew that Seungkwan knew more than what was on the outside. But he felt like intruding if he asked for more. He let Seungkwan teleported himself away to wherever he wanted to. Donghyuck smiled at Seungkwan at least, because that might be the last image of him.

***

Mark's diary was as predicted. Full of his feeling for Donghyuck. His hatred for not being able to be good enough for Donghyuck. His dramatic self who thought he was such a failure for making Donghyuck felt distant and unwanted.

_'I should've chosen spending time at Donghyuck's for a movie night than being here with these loud people. I was so fucking jealous of Renjun that I couldn't bear to see him near Donghyuck tonight. Maybe I should apologize to Renjun for being rude?'_

_'This girl kept asking me out, ugh, can't you see that I'm fucking in love with the boy called Lee Donghyuck aka Haechan aka my Fullsun?'_

_'Renjun called me coward. Fuck, maybe I am a coward for deciding to just date Lucas after Donghyuck dumped me. I know Donghyuck was too good for me. I fucking know that.'_

_'Well, Lucas was mad that I ignored him in favor of movie night with Hyuck. I don't fucking care if he break up with me. But I am afraid if he'll do anything bad to Hyuck.'_

_'Hana fucking messed with Hyuck for spending time with me. Hello? Hyuck is more important than you. I'll just break up with her tomorrow.'_

_'Jaemin punched me. Jeno was trying to stop him but I think Jaemin is right. I deserved to be punched. Hyuck deserves a better man who is not a player. But Hyuck didn't even care for me anyway…'_

_'Hyuck looked so sad when I said I have a date today. I didn't have any date today but I don't think I can look at him without wanting anything more than just being friend.'_

_'Maybe Renjun was right. I should have given Hyuck more time to accept me. '_

_'This weekend I'm going to win and after that I'll tell Hyuck everything. I'll ask him out again, I'll keep asking him out until he knows how much I love him. I won't let anyone take Hyuck from me, If I can't have Hyuck then nobody can.'_

_'I am sorry. Please, don't take him away from me.'_

Donghyuck bursted into tears as he watched Mark writing on the last page clumsily. Mark's hand was shaking so bad. He couldn't control his emotion. Donghyuck wanted to calm him down.

"It's alright, Mark. Everything is gonna be alright," Donghyuck whispered softly.

The younger reached out to touch Mark's hand. It felt warm.

"Hyuck?" Mark stilled on his seat. "Is that you?"

Oh, Mark could feel him. That's new. Mark didn't look like he could see where Donghyuck was standing though. Donghyuck tried to touch him again just to give the older an answer. 

Mark tried to reach Donghyuck's hand back. He couldn't, still, he kept trying. "Hyuck, come back, please?"

"Yes," Donghyuck said to the air as he faded away.

***

This was Donghyuck's home. A place he spent his life in since the day he was born. The living room was so familiar. Except the fact that his mom was bundled on the sofa, looking at the door, as if waiting for someone to walk through them.

"Hyuck?" His mom called out.

"Hyuck is that you?" His mom repeated. "Johnny, Hyuck is here."

His dad came out from the kitchen. He was bringing two cups of warm tea. She always liked her tea warm. "Minah, Hyuck is not here."

Donghyuck's mom looked so lost as she looked at her husband's eyes. There was a hint of desperateness in her eyes as she reached for him.

"I miss him," She sobbed. "I miss him so much, Youngho."

"I know. Me too," Donghyuck's dad placed the cups on the table. He grasped his mom's hand and hugged her tightly. It was bitter yet still a warm sight. It had been a long time since Donghyuck last saw them spending time together like this. "We'll visit the hospital after we eat, okay? Donghyuck doesn't want us to get sick."

"Yeah," She nodded.

Donghyuck's dad was walking to the kitchen again when she called him.

"Youngho-ya, I think I wouldn't take the offer," She said as she calmed down. "I don't care about my career. It doesn't matter if I can't even be with Hyuck." 

"Can you believe it, Youngho? There are a lot of things I haven't done with him. I want to make breakfast for him. I want to eat dinner with him. I want to send him to school and pick him up from school every day. I want to spend his favorite movie night with him. Everything, just everything that any normal families do. We haven't done it." 

"I know, Minah. It's okay. We'll spend more time with him together. He will wake up, okay?"

"He will, right? He can't leave me, Youngho. This family is the only reason I am still alive," The calm demeanor was fading as she cried again. Donghyuck's dad rushed to hug her.

Donghyuck always saw his dad as a strong person. He never showed any weakness to anyone. But when he sobbed alongside his mom, Donghyuck figured out, he had weakness as well. And that weakness was him, his child.

Donghyuck's cheeks were wet, he didn't know when the tears started falling from his eyes. He wiped it harshly as he walked towards his parents. He hugged them, not caring that they wouldn't know. He wanted to.

Because his home was right here. It was time go home.

***

"How was it?" Vernon asked Seungkwan who was watching sleeping Donghyuck with so much tenderness in his eyes. They were in the hospital. Soul Donghyuck was already gone several hours ago although his body still stayed unconscious.

"This sucks," Seungkwan pouted. "He is going to forget about us."

Vernon smiled. He looked at Mark and Renjun who decided to spend the night at the hospital. He turned around, and he could see there was Johnny, his dad, who was also sleeping soundly beside Donghyuck. He looked like hadn't rest at all. Still, he wanted to stay for his son.

"But he has found his answer," Vernon titled his head. He placed his arms around Seungkwan.

"Yeah," Seungkwan shrugged Vernon off of his shoulder.

"You do realize you have to come back to your body too, right, Seungkwan?" Vernon eyed Seungkwan carefully. "You have your friends waiting for you."

Seungkwan snickered, "It is so easy to make other people realize how much they are loved. But it is really hard to do it for yourself."

Saying those words harshly to Vernon was a mistake Seungkwan regretted right away. He shouldn’t have done that. The grim reaper didn't deserve it. Vernon was a good person and his only friend. He lowered his head apologetically.

"Hansol," Seungkwan asked for Vernon's attention. He rarely used that name. "I am going to forget you too if I am back alive."

"I know that." Vernon answered casually.

However, Seungkwan saw through him. Vernon's expression was too practiced to be natural. He knew the nonchalance was a façade. He knew it himself that Vernon was also concerned about this.

"Is that okay with you?" Seungkwan asked, just because.

"It's for the best."

"Right, It's for the best." The best tasted too bitter on his mouth.

***

"Lee Donghyuck, you fucker!" Dongyoung screamed at the new comer who walked inside his cat café. "Do you know how worried I was? Don't you dare dying unexpectedly like that again!"

Donghyuck laughed at the loud behaviour of the café owner. He was not the type to shout in public when he was on professional mode. Donghyuck accidentally knocked one of the workers because he was too preoccupied with his own laugh.

Donghyuck looked at his nametag before apologizing. "Oh, I am so sorry… Soonyoung? Ugh, are you okay?"

"I am good. Don't worry." The worker was really polite as he walked away to continue his work.

Donghyuck saw a piece of paper fell from the worker's pocket.

"Wait, you dropped something," Donghyuck reached out to take the photo on the floor.

It was a picture of the worker and his friends. They seemed to be really close.

"Wow, your friends are handsome!" Donghyuck praised them out of politeness.

"Yeah, I know right. They are handsome," Soonyoung guy smiled warmly as he looked at the picture. "Seungkwan would never believe me if I said it to him."

"Seungkwan?"

It sounded awfully familiar. But Donghyuck couldn't quite place him.

"Yes, Seungkwan is the guy on the right. He is handsome but he doesn't believe it himself," Soonyoung explained.

Donghyuck's chest twisted as he looked at the picture once more. He was oddly familiar but he couldn't recognize the name and face. Although Donghyuck wanted to ask more, Soonyoung had to excuse himself when his name was suddenly called from the back.

Donghyuck felt really weird. Seungkwan's name bothered him a lot for some unknown reason.

"What's wrong?" Mark suddenly was behind Donghyuck. He must be thinking too hard that he couldn't hear him coming from outside.

"Do we know a Seungkwan?"

Mark shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Why?"

"I think I know a Seungkwan but I don't know a Seungkwan," Donghyuck tried to explain. But it confused Mark even more.

Fortunately, Renjun, Jeno, and Jaemin was already shouting at him, distracting him from the topic.

"Hyuck, let's sit! You are blocking the way!"

Renjun was sitting near Dongyoung. Jeno being Dongyoung's favorite kid even had a cake in front of him already. Donghyuck smiled at them and walked to their direction.

"Your dad promised to pick us up at seven by the way," Jaemin stopped Donghyuck when he was about to sit down.

"Oh, he said that? I forgot," Donghyuck laughed awkwardly. It was half an hour before seven.

"Of course, you'd rather spend your time outside with your boyfriend and abandon us here with this old geezer," Jaemin voiced out, not withering even with Dongyoung's murderous gaze stabbing him. "Worse, you dump this cat allergic human who can't seem to stray away from cats with me here to make me suffer."

"Hey, cats are cute," Jeno defended himself. "Not my fault I'm allergic to them."

"Jeno, I love you, but you're so stupid," Dongyoung sighed. Donghyuck snickered, he couldn't believe that even Dongyoung, Jeno's biggest fan, was mocking Jeno.

"Wait, this was supposed to be about Hyuck and Mark. Why am I attacked?" Jeno raised his hand dramatically to protect himself.

"What's wrong with me and my boyfriend, huh?" Mark asked back.

Donghyuck blushed. Because as much as he'd heard the term each other's boyfriend assigned to him and Mark from anybody else, it was such a rare occurrence to hear it from Mark himself.

"Well, you left us!" Renjun shouted with his cute tone that no one could take seriously. Managing to bring Donghyuck back from his little imaginative world filled with Mark.

"Well, try to be in a date and see if you can keep track of the time!" Donghyuck shouted back at his childhood friend. He had too since it was Renjun who baited him. He was always allowed to shout back anyway.

They fought until it was already seven. Donghyuck completely forgot about the cats that he wanted to play with. But he was happy, because Mark promised him to go there again and Dongyoung gave him a discount as he promised. Although Renjun and Jaemin said they wouldn't come next time, Donghyuck knew they would because it was Donghyuck who asked them to.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like it!  
> Don't forget to comment and kudos. I love reading comments!
> 
> P.S. If you are interested to read more of Verkwan you can check out the first part of the series!


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